Funeral of a Hero
by Vesvius
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto has fallen in battle. His friends, family, and loved ones gather to say goodbye.


A/N: Well, this is a re-post of my first fic, my first One-Shot Ever! I deleted it a while back for personal reasons, but I decided just to post it up here again for the heck of it. Here you go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, I'd rub it in your face.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a cold, dark and depressing morning. Rain fell in heavy droplets, splashing all of them who had gathered there. It was the perfect depressing setting, for the extremely depressing task. All seventeen people who had gathered there didn't care how cold the weather was. They would have been there if a tornado was coming.

They had gathered around a gravestone, a fresh new one, with a new-dug grave. The gravestone read 'Uzumaki Naruto'. Their closest friend, who had always seemed invincible, had finally died in the course of duty. He had been 19.

Each of the 17 people there were there because of a deep bond with Naruto, and it was a very solemn and difficult task for them. But to miss it would be to disrespect their dead friend, and none of them would have even thought of that.

For Kiba, Naruto was a friend he wished he could have gotten to know better. They had only started getting along after the Chunin exams, and had never really spent much time together. Akamaru stood behind his master, whimpering slightly at the pent up emotions.

For Shino, Naruto had always been a good person to sit with. Shino had always been avoided because he was 'too creepy'. Naruto had been avoided because of his inner demon. As a sign of respect, Shino had removed his glasses. His eyes, seen for the first time by many, watered with unshed tears.

TenTen had never known Naruto very well. She had liked him sorta, but mainly because he and Lee had spent so much time together. TenTen stood, staring blankly at the grave.

Neji looked around with his white eyes, wishing for once that he did not have vision that went almost 360 degrees. Around him, everyone had a face that was a reflection of the feelings within him that he dared not vent. Memories of the Chunnin exams came back to him, of Naruto flying from the ground and curing him of his obsession with destiny. He must not cry. He must not cry.

Lee had walked into this funeral with a small smile on his face, as if he still thought it wasn't real. But it had slipped from him as he viewed the grave with all of the offerings around it. Lee had sat down, hard, on the ground, and had not moved since.

A blank, stunned look was on Chouji's Face as he stood there, staring at the stone that marked the death of one of his friends. It had been hell finding one friend, worse finding another, and it would be worse still going on without one of them. He and Naruto had really bonded in the last few years, and had always gotten along pretty well. Now Naruto was gone, giving his life to save theirs. And Chouji knew that all the food and sake in the world was not going t o be enough to make this stop hurting.

Shikamaru stood there, patting Chouji on the back. He had lots of memories of Naruto, from all of the time they were held after class to the time Naruto continuously second-guessed him as they went to rescue Sasuke. A single tear dripped from his eye, as he wished that life was not so troublesome.

Temari stood, clasping the hand of Shikamaru that was not patting Chouji. She stood, knowing that the numbness she was feeling was only temporary. She owed Naruto too much not to feel anything when he died. He had managed to turn her brother from a psychotic killer to a wise and strong protector. But for now, all she could do was try to offer comfort to her boyfriend. Temari would cry when she got home.

Soaking wet in the torrential downpour, Kankuro wondered why he was there. He couldn't cry. He couldn't express regret, and had he had no support to offer to his siblings and friends. But then it hit him. He was there because Naruto would have wanted him to be there, and he knew that Naruto's spirit would have been pissed if he wasn't. A small drop of water fell from his face. Maybe Kankuro hadn't been as detached and aloof as he'd thought he was.

Ino watched the sobbing going on in front of her. Naruto had been a nice guy, and had never failed to bring a smile to her lips. But that had been all he was to her. But as she stood, with the wailing of a few, and the overwhelming silence that signaled numbness from the others, she knew he had been much more.

Those 10 people stood in a semi-circle, all facing the gravestone. Within the circle were more people, and they knew that their grief, great it might be, was only a shadow of that which was within Naruto's adopted family.

Jiraiya and Gamabunta stood high above all the others. The perverted sennin had wanted to bid farewell to the brightest apprentice he had ever had, and the boss frog to one of the few who had earned his respect. They were numb now, but knew it would be only a matter of time before the reality set in. Then they would need sake. Lots of Sake.

Hinata stared, her blank eyes devoid of any emotion. Naruto had been her love, and making him love her had been her ambition. She thought of him cheering her on in the Chunnin Exams, then telling her that he was going to kick Neji's ass. Without him, she had nothing. Tears ran down her face, as she fought to combat the overwhelming grief within her.

Kakashi stood, his headband cocked at it's usual angle, but he had changed something. He had his mask pulled down, so those around him could see his face for the first time. That had been one of Naruto's greatest ambitions, to see the other half of Kakashi's face. His mouth, seen for the first time by others, was set in a solemn grimace, and his eye showed that he would truly miss his little foster brother.

Konohamaru stood, wailing with grief. He had lost so much in such a short time. His grandfather had died years earlier, and now the closest thing he had to an older brother was gone as well. He cried out in emotional pain, then fell down and began to hit the ground.

Tsunade stood, stooped over with the weight of pain and years atop her. She had been so distraught by the death of her adopted son that she had lost control of her age-disguise jutsu, and had yet to regain it. Tears fell from her face as she looked at the grave which held the body of yet another boy that had never gotten to achieve his dream.

Iruka stared at the grave. This was why he had never wanted to have children. They would grow up to be ninjas, then die before he did. Naruto had been a son to him, and his passing left a hole in him that would never be filled.

Gaara was seated on the wet earth, his usual composure abandoned. Now it felt like he was alone in the world. He had known one person, and one friend that had felt the same as he did. Naruto had saved him from himself, turned him from a mindless killing machine into a brave and strong Kazekage. A small bittersweet smile crossed his face. If Naruto survived their battle years back, Gaara wouldn't be here, mourning his passing. The irony overpowered them.

Sasuke stood, his cool demeanor destroyed by the guilt and sorrow wracking his body. It was his fault that this had happened. It was all his fault. But as he thought that, someone hit him hard on the back of the head. He looked around, trying to see who had hit him, but no one there was in a state capable to delivering a strong punch. Sasuke knew who had hit him, and he smiled as he knew that Naruto was telling him 'stop thinking that, dumbass!'.

Within the semi-circle the seven of them formed, sat one person. She was the one who missed him most of all. Sakura sat, staring numbly at the headstone, as she remembered Naruto's last moments.

"_Naruto! Get out of the way! I want this! It's what I've been ready for!"_

"_You're an even bigger idiot then I thought you were if you think I'm moving, dumbass!"_

"_KuKuKuKuKu. If I take you, I take the fox as well! Body-Transfer Justsu!"_

_A snake of green chakra swept into Naruto, moving him from his steadfast position in front of Sasuke. He was knocked to the ground, and lay there, twitching. As Naruto got up, he wasn't really Naruto. Orochimaru stared out from Naruto's eyes._

"_**It's crowded enough in here without you coming in!" **a voice sounded. One of Naruto's eyes remained the yellow reptilian slits of Orochimaru, but the other turned blood-red and feral. Kyuubi didn't like anyone intruding._

_Sasuske, Sakura and Kakashi stood, gaping in stunned horror as a battle raged inside Naruto. A demon in body against a demon in nature. But since they were both inside of Naruto, all wounds were delivered to his body. Slash after bloody slash rent his flesh, as his eyes flashed different colors._

_The left hand of their friend went out to his side, and green chakra began to gather in the palm, climaxing in a green, malevolent ball. Orochimaru's voice yelled "Rasengan!" At the same time, Naruto's right hand began gathering red chakra. The deep voice of Kyubi yelled out "**Rasengan!" **as it formed into a deep crimson ball. Both arms swung, aiming for each other._

_  
Suddenly, a large change came. Both eyes became clear blue, and a voice came out of his mouth "Stop you idiots! This is my body! I'm in control here!" Naruto had somehow taken control while the two forces waged war. He stopped both forms of rasengan, and merged them together. Both Kyubi and Orochimaru had poured all of themselves into that blast. The only one with any energy left was Naruto! He pushed the two balls together, and the new rasengan turned solid blue. Naruto's voice rang out. "Oodama Rasengan!" He drove the ball into the last place anyone expected it to go: Into his stomach. A roar was heard from Kyuubi, a scream fro Orochimaru, as both of their chakra flew out of Naruto. Already weak, Naruto flew backwards into a wall._

_As Naruto lay there, bleeding, he heard people running towards him. He wondered why it was so hard for him to breathe. Three familiar faces came into vision. Kakashi, who had already began to mourn inside. He knew that no one could take the combined chakra of Orochimaru, Kyubi, and Naruto to their stomach and live. Sasuke, finally snapped out of his stupid obsession with power. Sakura, who was frantically, and futilely trying to close his gaping wound._

_Naruto looked at his friends. He only had so much strength left. He had to make it count. He reached out his left arm, and pulled down Kakashi's mask. He had always wanted to see that. Then, he moved his arm again and decked Sasuke. "Bastard. Don't die too soon, ok?" he said. _

_With the last of his strength, Naruto grabbed Sakura, and pulled her in for a deep kiss. She smiled. "Not now! I have to fix this wound! Afterwards, we'll do that all you want, and then some!" She then noticed that the rise and fall of Naruto's chest had stopped. His crystal blue eyes, always so kind and warm, had glazed over. Sakura began to scream._

Sakura sat, crying, curled up into a fetal position. She was just glad she and Naruto had gotten one night together, and had finally admitted to each other who they felt. As she sat, looking at the tombstone of her dearest friend and love, she felt a small pain in her stomach. She looked down, and saw a very small seal fade into her skin, as if it was going to attach to a new, as of yet unborn, creature.

A small smile broke through the tears on Sakura's face. For Naruto, it might be the end, but for their unborn child, it was a beginning.

Kyuubi smiled inside his prison. He had had a close call. If part of him had not been gone into Sakura when she and Naruto coupled, he would have ceased to exist. He had actually gotten quite fond of the bonehead he had been imprisoned inside. But maybe, just maybe, he could become just as fond of this new life he had been imprisoned within.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: How was it?


End file.
